After 30 years in the Washington wine industry, I think it is time from some of us old timers to speak up. I will try to be enlightening and philosophical, but I might be somewhat grumpy at times. There will be current as well as historical perspectives on the Washington Wine Industry. The views expressed here do not reflect the views of Bonair Winery, Inc. For those views, talk to Shirley, my wife.

Friday, May 31, 2013

A customer came through last weekend who was
returning from Walla Walla. A tasting room employee there said they
felt sorry for the Rattlesnake Hills because our grapes weren't going
to be any good this year because of the drought. Drought? We get six
inches annual rainfall – less than Phoenix, Arizona. We wouldn't recognize a drought even if it didn't rain for months. Saying there is a
drought in the Rattlesnake Hills is like saying it rains in Seattle.
Who starts these rumors anyway and why?

Hardly drought stressed. Note the large leaves and long node spacing.

All the grapes in the Rattlesnake Hills
are irrigated either by wells or the Yakima Basin Water Project. The
only drought that somewhat affects us is a drought in the Cascade
Mountains and there isn't one this year. Snow pack is near normal and
the reservoirs are full. Water is plentiful.

Even this old Cabernet vineyard planted in 1968 is alive and well.

We had some temperatures over 90 a couple of
weeks ago and we got two weeks of growth in two days. The grapes are
in full bloom this week - a week early. It is starting out to be a
banner year.

Last week we got an unprecedented two
inches of rain, so we can skip an irrigation cycle or two. It looks
like deficit irrigation will start early this year since we have so
much cane growth already.

Don't feel sorry for us. My rain gauge
says we've had 8.05 inches in the last 365 days. Mushrooms are
growing in the sagebrush. With no spring frosts, we will have plenty
of high quality grapes for the Walla Walla wineries.